Appeal case of a Pakistani Christian man convicted of blasphemy to heard by Lahore High Court.

According to details, after much ado a date for hearing of the appeal case of Pakistani Christian accused and convicted of blasphemy fixed by the Lahore High Court. Sajjad Masih who has been awarded a life imprisonment award over blasphemy convictions had filed an appeal case against this sentence.

Sajjad Masih, a Pakistani Christian was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 200,000 Pakistani Rupees over charges of committing blasphemy. Previously, the court had shown reluctance about fixing an appeal case. On December 15, the lawyer of Sajjad Masih filed a fresh another petition in the Lahore High Court urging for deferral of his sentence till final verdict on his appeal case. Hearing date for this petition was fixed for December 16.

On December 16, Sardar Mushtaq Gill, the defence counsel of Sajjad Masih appeared before the Lahore High Court, along with his team. After the court proceedings, Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim summoned the next hearing of this case on 21 January, 2016.

Sajjad was hooked by the police in 2011, and two FIRs were filed against him, in the main, an FIR No. 820/2011 under section 295 C PPC 16 MPO and 25-D Telegraph Act Sajjad was convicted by the court and was awarded a life imprisonment while, another FIR No 80/2012 under section 295 B and C PPC and section 25-D telegraph act was overturned.

28-year-old, Sajjad Masih Gill, resident of district of Pakpatan, Punjab, had been previously sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine of 200 thousand Rupees by a court in Gojra. He was accused of sending blasphemous text messages from his mobile phone.

However, followed by police investigations, no substantial proof was found against Sajjad Masih which might prove that he actually sent blasphemous text messages from his mobile phone.

While speaking in this regard, Sardar Mushtaq Gill, said, “Sajjad has been behind bars since December 28, 2011 and he was sentenced life imprisonment and against this sentence his appeal is pending for more than two years; hence, he is entitled right of suspension of his sentence and release on bail on statutory grounds.”